116 research outputs found
Classification of Colorectal Cancer Using ResNet and EfficientNet Models
Introduction:
Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases from children to elderly adults. This will be deadly if not detected at an earlier stage of the cancerous cell formation, thereby increasing the mortality rate. One such cancer is colorectal cancer, caused due to abnormal growth in the rectum or colon. Early screening of colorectal cancer helps to identify these abnormal growth and can exterminate them before they turn into cancerous cells. Aim:
Therefore, this study aims to develop a robust and efficient classification system for colorectal cancer through Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) on histological images. Methods:
Despite challenges in optimizing model architectures, the improved CNN models like ResNet34 and EfficientNet34 could enhance Colorectal Cancer classification accuracy and efficiency, aiding doctors in early detection and diagnosis, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. Results:
ResNet34 outperforms the EfficientNet34. Conclusion:
The results are compared with other models in the literature, and ResNet34 outperforms all the other models
Field dependent nilpotent symmetry for gauge theories
We construct the field dependent mixed BRST (combination of BRST and
anti-BRST) transformations for pure gauge theories. These are shown to be an
exact nilpotent symmetry of both the effective action as well as the generating
functional for certain choices of the field dependent parameters. We show that
the Jacobian contributions for path integral measure in the definition of
generating functional arising from BRST and anti-BRST part compensate each
other. The field dependent mixed BRST transformations are also considered in
field/antifield formulation to show that the solutions of quantum master
equation remain invariant under these. Our results are supported by several
explicit examples.Comment: 25 pages, No figures, Revte
Entrepreneurship Development in Agriculture through Agro Processing Centre: a Case Study of Almora District in NW Himalaya
This study was conducted by Vivekananda Institute of Hill Agriculture, Almora (India) to
enhance entrepreneurship in the unemployed educated youths in North-Western Himalayas, who
otherwise are migrating from hills in search of employment and livelihood. An agro-processing
centre (APC) was established with the institutional support and was operational through an
entrepreneur. The establishment cost of INR 2,19,000 was borne by the institute. The
entrepreneur invested INR 1,66,255 for purchasing raw food grains. Total annual cost
(Operational cost + Rental value of APC and storage building) was INR 27956. Annual income
of INR 95,145/- was generated from sale of the processed products in brand name of “HIMRAJ”
apart from generating income of INR 27,867 by providing processing service to the nearby
farmers. This way he earned the INR 1,23,012 as gross income, where as net income was INR
81,356 per annum. This case study shows that if an entrepreneur maintains the APC in
effectively, he can generate sufficient income from processing and value-addition of food grains.
As a result of this, youths in hills can be self-employed and will not migrate from hills in search
of employment and livelihood security
The model for self-dual chiral bosons as a Hodge theory
We consider (1+1) dimensional theory for a single self-dual chiral boson as
classical model for gauge theory. Using Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky (BFV)
technique the nilpotent BRST and anti BRST symmetry transformations for this
theory have been studied. In this model other forms of nilpotent symmetry
transformations like co-BRST and anti co-BRST which leave the gauge-fixing part
of the action invariant, are also explored. We show that the nilpotent charges
for these symmetry transformations satisfy the algebra of de Rham cohomological
operators in differential geometry. The Hodge decomposition theorem on compact
manifold is also studied in the context of conserved charges.Comment: 19 pages, No figures, Revtex, Final version to appear in EPJ
Novel Isoprene-Degrading Proteobacteria From Soil and Leaves Identified by Cultivation and Metagenomics Analysis of Stable Isotope Probing Experiments
Isoprene is a climate-active gas and one of the most abundant biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) released into the atmosphere. In the terrestrial environment, plants are the primary producers of isoprene, releasing between 500 and 750 million tons per year to protect themselves from environmental stresses such as direct radiation, heat, and reactive oxygen species. While many studies have explored isoprene production, relatively little is known about consumption of isoprene by microbes and the most well-characterized isoprene degrader is a Rhodococcus strain isolated from freshwater sediment. In order to identify a wider range of bacterial isoprene-degraders in the environment, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) with 13C-labeled isoprene was used to identify active isoprene degraders associated with soil in the vicinity of a willow tree. Retrieval by PCR of 16S rRNA genes from the 13C-labeled DNA revealed an active isoprene-degrading bacterial community dominated by Proteobacteria, together with a minor portion of Actinobacteria, mainly of the genus Rhodococcus. Metagenome sequencing of 13C-labeled DNA from SIP experiments enabled analysis of genes encoding key enzymes of isoprene metabolism from novel isoprene degraders. Informed by these DNA-SIP experiments and working with leaves and soil from the vicinity of tree species known to produce high amounts of isoprene, four novel isoprene-degrading strains of the genera Nocardioides, Ramlibacter, Variovorax and Sphingopyxis, along with strains of Rhodococcus and Gordonia, genera that are known to contain isoprene-degrading strains, were isolated. The use of lower concentrations of isoprene during enrichment experiments has revealed active Gram-negative isoprene-degrading bacteria associated with isoprene-emitting trees. Analysis of isoprene-degradation genes from these new isolates provided a more robust phylogenetic framework for analysis of isoA, encoding the α-subunit of the isoprene monooxygenase, a key molecular marker gene for cultivation-independent studies on isoprene degradation in the terrestrial environment
Microbial cycling of isoprene, the most abundantly produced biological volatile organic compound on Earth
Isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene), the most abundantly produced biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) on Earth, is highly reactive and can have diverse and often detrimental atmospheric effects, which impact on climate and health. Most isoprene is produced by terrestrial plants, but (micro)algal production is important in aquatic environments, and the relative bacterial contribution remains unknown. Soils are a sink for isoprene, and bacteria that can use isoprene as a carbon and energy source have been cultivated and also identified using cultivation-independent methods from soils, leaves and coastal/marine environments. Bacteria belonging to the Actinobacteria are most frequently isolated and identified, and Proteobacteria have also been shown to degrade isoprene. In the freshwater-sediment isolate, Rhodococcus strain AD45, initial oxidation of isoprene to 1,2-epoxy-isoprene is catalyzed by a multicomponent isoprene monooxygenase encoded by the genes isoABCDEF. The resultant epoxide is converted to a glutathione conjugate by a glutathione S-transferase encoded by isoI, and further degraded by enzymes encoded by isoGHJ. Genome sequence analysis of actinobacterial isolates belonging to the genera Rhodococcus, Mycobacterium and Gordonia has revealed that isoABCDEF and isoGHIJ are linked in an operon, either on a plasmid or the chromosome. In Rhodococcus strain AD45 both isoprene and epoxy-isoprene induce a high level of transcription of 22 contiguous genes, including isoABCDEF and isoGHIJ. Sequence analysis of the isoA gene, encoding the large subunit of the oxygenase component of isoprene monooxygenase, from isolates has facilitated the development of PCR primers that are proving valuable in investigating the ecology of uncultivated isoprene-degrading bacteria
WISDOM-II: Screening against multiple targets implicated in malaria using computational grid infrastructures
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite continuous efforts of the international community to reduce the impact of malaria on developing countries, no significant progress has been made in the recent years and the discovery of new drugs is more than ever needed. Out of the many proteins involved in the metabolic activities of the <it>Plasmodium </it>parasite, some are promising targets to carry out rational drug discovery.</p> <p>Motivation</p> <p>Recent years have witnessed the emergence of grids, which are highly distributed computing infrastructures particularly well fitted for embarrassingly parallel computations like docking. In 2005, a first attempt at using grids for large-scale virtual screening focused on plasmepsins and ended up in the identification of previously unknown scaffolds, which were confirmed in vitro to be active plasmepsin inhibitors. Following this success, a second deployment took place in the fall of 2006 focussing on one well known target, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), and on a new promising one, glutathione-S-transferase.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In silico drug design, especially vHTS is a widely and well-accepted technology in lead identification and lead optimization. This approach, therefore builds, upon the progress made in computational chemistry to achieve more accurate <it>in silico </it>docking and in information technology to design and operate large scale grid infrastructures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On the computational side, a sustained infrastructure has been developed: docking at large scale, using different strategies in result analysis, storing of the results on the fly into MySQL databases and application of molecular dynamics refinement are MM-PBSA and MM-GBSA rescoring. The modeling results obtained are very promising. Based on the modeling results, <it>In vitro </it>results are underway for all the targets against which screening is performed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The current paper describes the rational drug discovery activity at large scale, especially molecular docking using FlexX software on computational grids in finding hits against three different targets (PfGST, PfDHFR, PvDHFR (wild type and mutant forms) implicated in malaria. Grid-enabled virtual screening approach is proposed to produce focus compound libraries for other biological targets relevant to fight the infectious diseases of the developing world.</p
Gene probing reveals the widespread distribution, diversity and abundance of isoprene-degrading bacteria in the environment
Background: Approximately 500 Tg of isoprene are emitted to the atmosphere annually, an amount similar to that of methane, and despite its significant effects on the climate, very little is known about the biological degradation of isoprene in the environment. Isolation and characterisation of isoprene degraders at the molecular level has allowed the development of probes targeting isoA encoding the α-subunit of the isoprene monooxygenase. This enzyme belongs to the soluble diiron centre monooxygenase family and catalyses the first step in the isoprene degradation pathway. The use of probes targeting key metabolic genes is a successful approach in molecular ecology to study specific groups of bacteria in complex environments. Here, we developed and tested a novel isoA PCR primer set to study the distribution, abundance, and diversity of isoprene degraders in a wide range of environments. Results: The new isoA probes specifically amplified isoA genes from taxonomically diverse isoprene-degrading bacteria including members of the genera Rhodococcus, Variovorax, and Sphingopyxis. There was no cross-reactivity with genes encoding related oxygenases from non-isoprene degraders. Sequencing of isoA amplicons from DNA extracted from environmental samples enriched with isoprene revealed that most environments tested harboured a considerable variety of isoA sequences, with poplar leaf enrichments containing more phylogenetically diverse isoA genes. Quantification by qPCR using these isoA probes revealed that isoprene degraders are widespread in the phyllosphere, terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. Specifically, soils in the vicinity of high isoprene-emitting trees contained the highest number of isoprene-degrading bacteria. Conclusion: This study provides the molecular ecology tools to broaden our knowledge of the distribution, abundance and diversity of isoprene degraders in the environment, which is a fundamental step necessary to assess the impact that microbes have in mitigating the effects of this important climate-active gas
- …